Health Coaching - Lifestyle Matters

This week we feature Julie Schutz who is a Fellow of the Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine, a Physiotherapist and a Health Coach who predominantly supports women with autoimmune diseases and other chronic diseases. 

Julie’s interest in Health Coaching stemmed from her personal experience of being diagnosed with an autoimmune condition. She was determined to face the challenge of this autoimmune condition by including lifestyle changes to manage her chronic condition and has not looked back since.

These include the 3Fs (feet, fork and fingers) and 3Ss (stress, sleep and socialisation) which we covered in our first episode.

Health Coaching is an evidence-based approach to health involving sustainable changes to behaviours that are consistent with one’s personal goals and beliefs. In an ideal world, every doctor should be able to use these approaches in their practice, but this is not always practically possible. Therefore, the collaboration between a Health Coach and a doctor is very helpful in order to holistically manage a patient’s chronic medical condition. There are various evidence-based techniques used to assist in behaviour changes such as motivational interviewing, positive psychology etc. 

If one is keen on finding a health coach, there is list of highly qualified health coaches that can be accessed at Health Coaches Australia and New Zealand.